When asked whether his brother Rob had driven drunk getting to or from Steak Queen last week, Doug Ford asserted that “the people don’t care” about their mayor’s personal problems and indiscretions. “You guys can work on the personal issues until October 27,” he continued, “but you’re out of touch. You’re out of touch with what the people care about. People don’t care about that.” What do they care about? Doug might just have mentioned taxes.

Did you know the TTC has a resident blacksmith? Well, it does, and his name is Pat Maietta. And he makes one-of-a-kind parts at his coal-fired forge, and produces the tools that switch the tracks out, and generally helps keep our streetcars road-worthy.

It can be salutary every now and again to be reminded of how much better other people are at responding to emergencies. For example, when a New Zealand doctor out spearfishing recently was attacked by a shark, he responded by stabbing the shark, swimming back to shore, suturing his own wounds, and then going to the pub for a drink.

Next time you see pigeons hanging about on the street, up to no good, remember that those beady-eyed rats with wings are, like rats, pretty complicated and wondrous. Researchers, it seems, are still not entirely sure how it is that trained homing pigeons are able to find their way home, but it might have something to do with tiny sounds coming from the Earth. But can they defend themselves effectively against blood-thirsty sharks? We think not.